WINGAPO (pronounced win-gà-po)

– Welcome, my beloved friend

European colonists arriving in Virginia may have been greeted with,
"Wingapo." Indians have lived in what is now called Virginia
for thousands of years. While we are still learning about the people who
inhabited this land, it is clear that Virginia history did not begin in
1607. If you ask any Virginia Indian, "When did you come to this
land?", he or she will tell you, "We have always been here."

Explore these pages to learn more about the people now called Virginia Indians.

NEW CLASSROOM VIDEO RESOURCE
Watch The Virginia Indians: Meet the TribesCLICK HERE for a “Meet the Tribes” student activity book.

Recent archaeological digs in Virginia have provided compelling evidence that humans
inhabited Virginia at least 18,000 years ago, well before the Clovis culture and
thousands of years before previously thought.
CLICK HERE for information
about pre-Clovis culture and to watch streaming video of Ice Age Discoveries.

CLICK HEREVirginia Indians: Reclaiming Our Heritage, which describes how Virginia Indian tribes have maintained their culture and heritage since colonial times.